Crimping device



ay 26, 1942. J. BURKHARDT 2,284,259

GRIMPING DEVICE Filed March 1, 1940 4 Joke: 52am INVENTOR ATI'QRNEY Patented May 2 6, 1942 UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE CRIMPIN G DEVICE John Burkhardt, Cleveland, hio,'assignor to- E. .I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, Wilmington, Del, a corporation of Delaware Application March 1, 1940, Serial No. 321,643 (01. 86-40) Claims.

This invention relates to the, art of blasting initiators and to a crimping. device especially adapted for crimping initiator shells and the like. The object of the invention is an improved crimping device which, by a simplified crimping action, will produce an annular crimping around the shell of av blasting initiator or the like. A furtherobject is a manually operated crimper for producing such a crimp. Another object is a hand crimper characterized by a minimum number of structural parts. A further object is a crimper characterized by simplicity of structure, yet capable of producing a-highly effective crimp in the shell of a blasting initiator or the like.

Additional objects will appear from the following detailed description of my invention.

My crimping device comprises a single crimping jaw in the form of a spring disc set in the shape of a truncated cone and s0 slotted as to give the effect of a number of jaws converging about the circumference of the minor base of the frustrum shape. of the frustrum is confined in a housing and the minor base is of a diameter to receive the shell of the blasting initiator or like which is to be crimped. Upon flexing the spring disc the diameter of the minor base is decreased as the height of the frustrum decreases, forcing the many jaws into the shell or other tubular object disposed within the minor base and producing an annular crimp The face of the frustrum is,

also slotted radially from the circumference of the major base and relieved by a number of holes of such a design as to relieve the strains caused by flexing the spring.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, reference is made to the accompanying drawing. Similar numerals will be employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures thereof.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the spring disc, housing and operating handles, and shows the arrangement of the crimping jaws of the spring disc. Figure 2 is a front view of the same. Figure 3 is an end view along the axis of the hand lever pivot. Figure 4 is a view of the blasting initiator shell before crimping. Figure 5 is a view of the same after crimping with the device of the invention.

Referring to these various figures in greater detail, the crimping disc I causes the actual crimping of the shell. It is confined about the circumference of its major base by groove 3 in housing 4. This disc is slotted to form tongues 2 radiating about the central opening I. When the hol- The major base' low plunger 5 is subjected topressure, this be created by any means, but as shown, is effected by hand levers 6 which cooperate with the plunger 5.

The crimping device is operated as follows: The blasting initiator shell, or the like, which is to be crimped is slipped into the central opening I of the crimping disc I and the plunger 5, squeezing the hand levers 6 causes the plunger 5 to flatten thedisc I, forcing the jaws into the shell and forming a series of concurrent impressions about the circumference of the shell.

The crimping device of my invention is advantageous in view of its simplicity of construction, the possibility of hand operation, and the waterproof crimp between shell and fuse produced thereby.

It should be understood that -I make no claim to the broad feature of a plurality of radially disposed crimping jaws as disclosed and claimed in copending application Serial No. 321,641, filed March 1, 1940, but. intend to claim as my invention only the spring disc device.

It will be understood that the foregoing descriptionrepresents merely the preferred embodiment of my invention. Many other embodiments will be suggested to workers in the art by my disclosure of the principle of my invention. Therefore,'I intend to claim every embodiment of this principle in a crimping device. For instance, although I have described my invention in connection with a hand crimper, it is understood that the invention is not limited to hand. crimpers in its scope. Likewise, although I have described my invention particularly with respect to its utility and advantages in connection with forming crimps in the shells of blasting initiators, it will be appreciated that the device may be employed with any tubular body, for instance, in ammunition shells and the like. Iintend to be limited only by the following patent claims.

I claim:

1. A crimping device especially adapted for crimping shells of blasting initiators and the like, which is comprised of a spring disc formed in This pressure may 2. A crimping device especially adapted for crimping shells of blasting initiators and the like,

which is comprised of a spring disc formed in the shape of a truncated cone andso slotted asv toiorm-a series of segments radiating about the circumference of a central hole or theminor i base'of the truncated shape which isoi' ,a size toreceive the article to be crimped, and aflexin means tor the said spring disc including'a housing which .conflnes. the major diameter or the disc and a hollow plunger guided by. a central hole in-the housing, hand levers cooperating with said housing and said plunger, whereby pressure exerted upon the hand levers is transmitted through the hollow plunger to the spring disc, flattening the same and contracting its central opening whereupon the series of segments defining the central opening act as jaws to produce a crimping action.

3. A crimping device especially adapted for crimping shells of blasting initiators and the like, which comprises a spring disc slotted to form a plurality of individual jaws disposed about and defining a centralopening adapted to receive the article to be crimped, and flexing means for said disc including a housing attached to said disc about its periphery, a hollow member enterin said housing beneath the central portion or said disc, and hand levers cooperating with said housing and said hollow member.

crimpingshells or blasting initiators and the like, which comprises a segmented spring disc forming a plurality of individual jaws disposed about and defining a central opening adapted to receive the article to be crimped, and flexing means for said disc including a housing attached to said disc about its periphery, a hollow member entering said housing beneath the central portion of said disc, hand levers cooperating with said housin and said ,hollow member, whereby pressure exerted upon {the hand levers forces the hollow member' into thehousing against the disc flexing the same and forcing the individual Jaws into a plane contracting the central opening within said jaws to produce a crimping action.

5. A crimping tool especially adapted for crimping shells oi blasting initiators and the like, which is comprised 01' a spring disc formed in the shape -of a truncated cone and so slotted as to form a series of segments radiating about the circumference 01' a central hole or minor base of the truncated shape which is of a size to receive the article to be crimped, and a flexing means for the said spring disc including a housing which confines the major diameter of the disc and a hollow plunger guided by a central hole in the housing, and levers cooperating with said housing and said plunger.

JOHN BURKHARDT.

4. A crimping device especially adapted for 

